Field of the Invention
Our invention relates generally to closure assemblies. More specifically, our invention relates to closure assemblies comprising at least two pairs of interlocking profiles, as well as a slider for opening and closing the interlocking profiles. The closure assemblies of our invention are often disposed on, for example, pouches, such as resealable thermoplastic storage bags.
Related Art
Storage bags made from flexible plastic materials are well known. Such storage bags are made in a variety of sizes, and can be used to contain a variety of items, including food, utensils, clothing, tools, etc. Such storage bags often include some type of zipper-like closure mechanism to resealably seal the interior of the bag. Plastic storage bags with closure mechanisms are sold by the assignee of the present application under the ZIPLOC® trademark.
The closure mechanisms of plastic storage bags, which are often referred to as a fastener assembly or a zipper, include interlocking closure profiles at a top end of the bag. Closure mechanisms having a single pair of opposing elongate interlocking profiles that are occluded between a user's fingers to create a resealable seal are well known. In addition, closure mechanisms having multiple pairs of elongate interlocking profiles, for example, opposing upper and lower interlocking profiles that are pressed together by the user's fingers, are also used to create a stronger and more secure seal than single pairs. It is also known to use sliders with closure assemblies that have single and multiple interlocking profile pairs to open and to close the seal.
In one instance, a seal assembly is sealed and unsealed by occluding and de-occluding the interlocking profiles in a pinch and seal manner by the user's fingers. A user seals the bag by pressing together the interlocking profiles with his/her fingers and unseals the bag by pulling the profiles apart with his/her fingers. The seal assembly has a first closure strip disposed on one bag wall and a second strip disposed on an opposing bag wall. Each of the first and second closure strips includes two parallel spaced apart interlocking profiles disposed between two bumper profiles, all of which extend from the same side of a backing flange. In addition, one of the closure strips has a central profile disposed between the two interlocking profiles.
In another instance, a bag has a slider attached to a seal assembly that has two pairs of interlocking profiles to easily occlude and de-occlude the seals. The slider has a top wall attached to two opposing sidewalls, such that the two opposing sidewalls occlude both pairs of interlocking profiles when the slider is slid in a closing direction along the seal assembly. The slider also has a separator finger, or plow, that extends downwardly between both pairs of interlocking profiles that de-occludes both pairs of interlocking profiles when the slider is slid in an opening direction along the seal assembly. However, extending the plow all the way through the opposing interlocking profiles can create a gap or opening around the plow even when the slider is all the way in a closed position on the seal assembly, which results in a non-continuous seal that may cause leaking of liquid, air, gas, or granular contents held inside the bag.